UEFA president Michel Platini has warned Franck Ribery he could be banned from football, if he refuses to accept a call up to the France squad.
The Bayern Munich winger, now 31, retired from international duty earlier this summer after an injury ruled him out of this summer’s World Cup.
He has therefore made himself unavailable for his country’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign but according to FIFA rules, a player can’t refuse to join up unless injured.
And Platini – who guided France to European glory in 1984 – insists Ribery will be punished at a club level if he rejects a future call up.
He told Bild: “If Deschamps calls him up, then he has to come to the national team.
“That’s written in the FIFA statutes. If he doesn’t report for duty, then he would be banned for three matches for Bayern Munich.
“It is not the player’s decision whether he represents his county, it’s the decision of the coach. Ribery cannot simply decide for himself whether he wants to play for France or not.
“He’s a Frenchman and the European Championship in 2016 is taking place in France, not in Poland. He’s got to want to play a part in it.”
Source: Mirror